I Work Nights And You Work Days
by Morphy
Summary: Modern AU – Korra works nights and Asami works days. Their paths cross for minutes at a time but that's all it takes. Korrasami
1. Korra

**A/N Hi everyone. This is my first korrasami fic. I am working on a larger fic with this pairing but wanted to post something because I haven't in so long. I used to write twilight but found myself dwindling on that and really enjoying some of these avatar based fics. Is there anyone else who has jumped fandom? Let me know in reviews. Just realised while writing this author note how much I do miss posting and interacting with readers and writers on this site. This is just a short little ficlet that might be extended and its inspired by the song of the same name.**

I Work Nights and You Work Days.

"I go home just to see your face, to see that its not changed." – To Kill A King

It happened slowly…When someone smiles at you and you smile back its something that happens its nothing special…but her smile. It was one of those small things that you don't even realise you miss till its gone.

The first time it happened it was quick. It all happened in the blink of an eye. I was tired it was 6am and I just finished a shift. I looked like hell and smelt even worse and I remember thinking 'wow'. I had the key in the door when I heard the door next to mine open and my eyes moved instinctively and there she was shuffling out folder and coffee in hand. She locked her door and did that thing where you jiggle the handle then she noticed me standing there like an idiot and she smiled.

Then everyday after that it was the same I got home and there she was sometimes just leaving or we would just pass in the hall. It was like the rest of the world hadn't woken up and there we were. I started to notice little things

And I would guess where she was headed off to because I was too afraid to ask.

Sometimes she wore heels and they would click as she walked I could even hear them even after I closed the door. Her hair always looked like she just woke up but her make up was perfect so I knew she had spent some time on it. She always double-checked she locked the door and would pause before putting the keys in her bag and then touches the pocket where she put them which made me think she had a tendency to lose things.

As sad as it seemed I enjoyed our little routine after a week I thought I should say something. I had the chance on a Wednesday when it was really badly raining and I was soaked and she stopped and looked at me with weary eyes. I was sure my eyes looked just as weary probably with red rings around them. I could have said 'hey take an umbrella' or 'man it's really coming down out there' but instead I opened the door and slunk away. I only worked up the courage that next week it was a fluke just as I got to my door she dropped her keys and a folder of paper, which went everywhere. She dropped to her knees muttering something angrily piling the papers back up she totally missed the keys. I picked them up gently noticing the silver 'A' key ring and as she walked away I yelled, "Hey you forgot your keys." She turned running a hand through her already wild hair a tired smile on her lips. I walked them to her and she grasped her hand around them our fingers brushed and she said one word, 'thanks' after that it started the phase of good mornings and mornings. Always with her signature smile slightly lopsided always pulling up more on the left but it was cute. She was cute that was the perfect word for her.

One morning I brought home some doughnuts from the diner and I offered her one and as she smiled the smile that dazzles me into a trace like state. I managed to say, 'I don't even know your name.' to which she replied 'Asami' with a wink as she walked away. It made me blush the way she looked at me but not as bad as the morning when she asked, 'what was that song you were singing yesterday?' I had no idea she could hear me in my apartment and I knew I couldn't sing so instantly my cheeks turned scarlet and I stuttered the name of the song but the smile she gave me beamed and made me forget about how embarrassed I was. It was worth it for that smile.

Which was why I was now standing in the hall holding the keys in the lock again looking like an idiot for what had to be five minutes now. At least I had come full circle. Maybe she left early or changed shift or maybe she is sick or has a day off. Every possible scenario ran through my head as I ever so slowly opened the door and let it fall close. Waiting for the sound of clicking heels but none were found. I frowned realising I had missed her smile.

Her life passed me by in morning glimpses and the more I thought I knew her the more I realised I knew nothing. We lived in the same place in different times only overlapping for a minute. Then why was that minute so important to me?

Fours days passed and as I got to my door again usual tired framed hunched trying to fish keys from my pocket I heard the familiar shake of the dead bolt that sent a shock to my heart. I stopped looking for my keys watching her like nothing had ever stopped she hugged a folder and coffee while trying to close the door with the other hand.

"Hey Asami long time no see." I smiled. It didn't even take a second, she smiled that blinding smile and I knew.

"Yeah I was stuck in with the flu but I'm all better now."

"I'm glad your feeling better."

"Me too," She smirked slightly patting the keys in her pocket.

"I missed you." The words slipped out before I could even think it was just in my head and came barrelling out. I froze for a second but she didn't seem frightened.

"Why would you miss me?"

My brained seemed to run at a million miles an hour placing every answer that could save me in order but the simplest was the truth, "I just like seeing that you are still you…that you haven't changed. Reminds me that I'm home."

Her lips pulled back into a completely new smile I hadn't seen before and I like to think that it was a smile just for me.

"I think I missed you too."

 **A/N Thanks for reading.**


	2. Asami

**A/N I lied its not a one shot….well I didn't really lie. After I posted I had the idea why not co-write this with my best buddy beta Beetlebum101. We have been wanting to co-write for ages. So I'm so happy it's finally happened. This is a bit of an unusual co-written story. I (Morphy) have Korra's perspective and Beetlebum101 has Asami (lucky I know right). We don't see each others chapters till they are ready to post and we don't discuss characterisation. So we are writing each others characters as well. This means we have to roll with the punches of what happens in each chapter to make up the next. If you like this idea and want to see more chapters please review and together we can beg Beetlebum101 to write more chapters for me…I mean us.**

Chapter 2

It was a new city. A new start. A new neighbour. I had my business face.

A few coy smiles in the early mornings had come to mean so much more to me. I fought it for a while before the Flu, of all things, betrayed me.

I lay in bed, fever making my sleep fitful and restless. I dreamt of work, of life, of flying bison, of her. If it's possible to miss someone you barely know then I missed her.

I didn't even know her name. She boldly asked for mine one morning and I replied more self-assured than I felt, cursing myself at the end of the hall when I hadn't thought to get hers. Then cursing myself again for feeling the need to know it.

People irritated me; really irritated me. I accepted that their existence was necessary for me to lead a comfortable solo life – shops, bars, hospitals and the like – but I found it difficult to enjoy other people's company. A well-practiced smile always saw me through. It was what I dubbed 'my business face.'

"I missed you," she said to me after I ventured outside my apartment, post-Flu. Disconcerting warmth and happiness radiated through me but I tried my best to ignore it by replying:

"Why would you miss me?"

"I just like seeing that you're still you… that you haven't changed. Reminds me that I'm home."

If I replied to her, I don't remember. All I could think was, _I missed you, too._ Whether I said it out loud or not I don't know. I hope I didn't.

Days blurred, evenings blurred; everything seemed to blur except for brief seconds of happiness when I saw my unnamed neighbour at six in the in morning. When I moved here I had fully expected my job to take centre stage in my life. Apparently my life had other ideas; College degrees and dream jobs only seem to take you so far. Clearly, listening to your neighbour swearing at a ball game with her friends, throwing her alarm clock against the wall and singing in the shower is more beneficial.

"Hey there," she said one morning, maybe hovering a bit too long around her lock.

"What's your name?" I practically shouted at her, pretending to myself that I hadn't been waiting behind my door until I heard her footsteps in the corridor. Something in her eyes put me at ease and she calmly replied:

"My name is Korra."

"Korra," I repeated. "Korra," I mumbled again, looking down and locking my door. I heard her laugh.

"Yep. Korra." I looked up and she was beaming at me.

"Oh, right, I'm Asami," I said, introducing myself, then instantly shaking my head. "And, of course, you already know that." She laughed again.

"Yeah, but it's nice to know I remembered it correctly."

She was still smiling at me and it was at that point I realised we were shaking hands. When had that happened? I dropped her hand a little too quickly and went into business face mode. "It was nice to see you again."

"Yeah, it was," Korra replied, but she had a strange look on her face. I backed away and began walking to the safety of my car. "Asami?" I heard her call after me. I turned round. "You, uh," she started, pointing at my door. "You left your keys in the lock."

For a moment I just continued to stand there before reluctantly walking back to my door. "These early mornings are making me crazy," I gave as an excuse, waving it off, knowing fine well it wasn't the early mornings that were making me crazy.

I reached the parking lot and sat with my head resting against the steering wheel of my car for a few minutes. _You're an idiot, Asami, and now she thinks so, too_ , I repeated over and over again in my mind. If only we could go back to just saying quick hellos in passing. That I could deal with. _This_ was something else altogether. It made me uncomfortable and I didn't like feeling uncomfortable. It led to vulnerability, to weakness, and that was unacceptable. _Unacceptable but inevitable_ , my mind piped up again, making me huff in frustration.

Of all the apartment buildings, in all the cities, in all the world, why did I have to move into this one?

 **A/N – Thanks for reading**


	3. Korra 2

**A/N Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows. It means so much to see people enjoying this story.**

Chapter 3 - Korra

I rushed. I rushed before I realized why I was rushing. All week it happened. I was wiping the counters a little too impatiently, putting the dishes in the washer without caring if they clashed together on the rinse cycle. I was paranoid someone was going to notice but no one did. If they did they didn't say anything. It was the end of the week and it had taken me too long to get all the leftover food prepared and ready for Bolin to take to the shelter. It was usually my favorite job and now it had been pushed to second place. I took the steps two at a time wondering if she had already left. I tried in vain to catch my breath as I turn the corner into the hallway.

I must have some luck today because I wasn't the only one who was late. Well, I wasn't really late because I was finished work and didn't really have anywhere else to be other than bed. Yet, it felt like I had to be here. Like my day couldn't find its end until I had seen her face again.

She stood at her doorstep, hunched slightly over the door locking it tight and turning the handle three times to check. _Three,_ that seemed to be her number. The number of times she checks the door. The number of times she said my name. Some people say good things come in threes but some also say bad things come in threes. I wonder which one she will be. She must have heard my ragged breath or smelled the stench of desperation that seemed to follow me recently.

"Good morning," I spoke from a little too far. Even my speech had gotten impatient.

For the first time she seemed tired. The smile wasn't right. Something was off. The folder she carried was overflowing with scraps of paper poking out each side. Every morning the folder seemed to vary in thickness, physical proof that everyday didn't weigh the same.

"Mornin," she sighed.

Maybe to anyone else she would look fine but I knew different. She wore a coat that was too heavy for the summer. She wore it like a protective skin. I hadn't seen it before: a sturdy looking black thing with black fur on the collar and her hair was stuck in the back between the coat and her body.

"Are you feeling okay?" Maybe she wasn't quite over that flu.

"Yeah, I'm good." She locked the door, putting her keys in her purse.

The hallway was quiet and lies seemed to reverberate more than truths. She shuffled past me quickly before I could think.

"Have you had breakfast?" I called.

She seemed to freeze for a moment before turning around. I held up the brown paper bag that was my own breakfast but it felt like she needed it more. Her eyes linked to the bag and she seemed to understand.

"Uh… I can't take your food but thanks for the offer," she replied politely.

I moved closer, holding it out at arm's length. "Come on. I do this for my friends all the time." She seemed to waver slightly. "You can't get by on coffee alone." Yet her coffee seemed to be missing this morning. Sometimes I could tell she had been in the hall just by the lingering smell of a heavy black roast.

"I don't usually eat breakfast," she professed, as if it were a secret.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Also one of my favorites. "Right, I'm not taking no for an answer."

I stood straight, trying to seem a little taller. Asami still towered at least half a head over me and I thrust the bag forward towards her free hand.

"What is it?" She questioned tentatively taking it. Maybe in a move to get rid of me quicker.

"Feel free to throw it in the trash if you want to. No hard feelings, but it is one of my specialties and you'll have to try it to find out." I grinned, glad to have won some small battle.

"Are you always this pushy with your neighbors?" She questioned, taking the effort to smirk.

I was being too pushy. It was too obvious. _Stupid Korra, gonna scare her off_. "Uh…" I looked for an escape, feeling the heat climb into my face under her gaze. "Just the ones I pass at six am." I was acutely aware of my empty hands, hanging heavy and lifeless against my frame. I ran a hand through my short hair, letting it rest on my neck.

Perhaps it was the morning waning on her ability to fight me. In a matter as meaningless as breakfast but I felt like she perked up.

"Thank you." She returned the smile.

She grasped tightly on the bag, her knuckles turning a shade whiter.

"If you like it there's more where that came from."

She left without another word and I could hear the sound of her fading footsteps all the way to my door. I was hopeful that she wouldn't throw it in the trash as soon as she got out the door. That she would take it to her office or wherever she worked and she would open it and be reminded of me. That in that one moment her only thought would be me. Perhaps it was selfish of me to want to be thought of like that by someone I hardly knew. She was probably really important and had a thousand things on her mind but they were my thoughts, so I allowed myself to be selfish.

 **A/N Thanks for reading.**


	4. Asami 2

**A/N big thanks to beetlebum101 for writing this chapter! Hope you are all loving her take on Asami as much as I am.**

 _Today will be a normal day._

I stared at myself in the mirror and repeated that mantra. My deceptively young features looked marred by stress along the brow-line. Worry lines my mother called them. These were beyond worry lines.

These were life-is-taking-an-unauthorised-detour lines.

Work continued to pile up; more so than was negotiated at the New York Office. This job was always going to be a step up but, right now, it just didn't feel like it was worth moving for. Instead of giving me a house, they gave me an allowance to do with as I pleased. My love of all things shiny and expensive made it harder to settle on a property. By the time I decided on my apartment I was so desperate I would have taken anything… within reason, of course. All things considered, I could have done worse.

Worse than wearing a fur coat out in midsummer?

Right from the word go that whole day was a write off. She was late. Late enough to make _me_ late. I wanted to leave at 6:10am, which was the absolute latest I let myself leave for work. But I couldn't seem to make my body leave until I heard her in the hallway. I heard her footsteps along the corridor and I was suddenly flustered. I groped for the coat rack attached to the wall beside the door and fumbled my arms into the sleeves of the most inappropriate coat I owned, not realising until it was too late.

I had purposely made myself late just to catch a glimpse of Korra and now I wanted nothing more than to get away from her.

"Have you had breakfast?" She asked me. _What the hell kind of question was that?_ A brown paper bag was outstretched towards me and when I refused it she said something that haunted me for the rest of the day: "Come on, I do this for my friends all the time."

For my _friends_. She thought of me as her friend. Was it even possible for her to think that? She barely knew me.

"Are you always this pushy with your neighbours?" I asked, taking the proffered bag, hoping it would help me get away quicker. I must have sounded a bit harsher than I intended because she almost seemed to recoil at my words and nervously pulled a hand through her hair.

"Just the ones I pass at six am."

It bothered me that her mood had shifted and, annoyingly, it bothered me even more that it was my fault. "Thank you," I said, smiling, hoping she would perk up again. Korra grinned back and I was satisfied I had done enough to leave. I walked away without another word.

"If you like it there's more where that came from," she called after me but I just kept walking, closing my eyes and letting out a breath. I instinctively tightened my grip on the brown paper bag until it became painful.

Said bag sat beside me in the passenger's seat as I drove to work, with me glancing at it every time I was stopped at a red light. _I do this for my friends all the time_. Korra's voice swirled through my mind again and again so I turned on the radio. It didn't help.

The bag came with me as I rode the elevator to the thirty-fifth floor and passed my slightly over-zealous personal assistant, before being placed at the corner of my enormous desk and ultimately forgotten about.

Hours passed in a haze of endless phone calls and pointless meetings and it did little to ease my concerns that this move was a big mistake.

"Zhu Li, can you come in here for a moment?" I said into the intercom and waited for my PA to come bounding in.

"Asami, what can I do for you?" Zhu Li asked, in a ridiculously upbeat voice, her pen poised.

"I need you to schedule a video conference with the office in Chicago. And I also need you to try and make sure Varrick doesn't find out about it."

Zhu Li glanced up at me and looked uncomfortable. "I'm not really sure I can do that…"

"Please, just try," I said. "It'll be easier for me to do this without his interference."

My assistant simply nodded and scribbled on her notepad. I went back to reading over the proposal in front of me when Zhu Li spoke again. "Do you want some coffee to go with your lunch?"

I frowned and looked up at her. "I'm sorry?"

She pointed her pen in the direction of the brown bag still sitting at the corner of my desk. "That's your lunch, right?"

My eyes were drawn to the bag and everything from that morning suddenly came flooding back to me. _If you like it there's more where that came from_. "I suppose it is, yeah," I replied quietly, my gaze not moving.

"So, do you want some coffee?"

Her voice snapped me out of my brief internal musings. "Oh, um, yes," I said, straightening myself in the chair. "That would be great, thank you." Zhu Li looked at me strangely, it was just for a split second but I saw it, before smiling and disappearing from my office.

I stared at the bag again. I hadn't eaten anything all day and I was sure my stomach was about to growl at any moment. I leaned forward and grabbed it, reaching inside without hesitation. I pulled out what looked like some kind of breakfast bagel with bacon and cheese on it. It was a little soggy, the bacon was cold and the cheese wasn't at its best, but as I took a bite, I couldn't help but think that it was the best damn bagel I'd ever had in my life.

 **A/N Thanks for reading**


	5. Korra 3

**A/N Thanks for all the new favs, follows and reviews. It really nice to know people are enjoying this as much as we are.**

Chapter 5 – Korra

A sharp sound wakes me from a deep sleep. I don't remember what I was dreaming about as it was cut off with the unbearable ringing of the fire alarm. My body sticks to sheets with a thin sheen of sweat – something I always hate about these hot summers. A cool breeze brings some relief from the open window. No light broke through the old slat blinds. My eyelids fall back together for a split second before I start searching the floor for something to cover my underwear.

I pick up the first things my fingertips touch: a pair of knee length shorts that usually live in my gym bag and a white tank top that still managed to be white and not some off-yellowish brown color from all the fat at the diner. I don't bother with socks, just in case the building is actually ablaze. I give a small prayer that the alarm turns off before I can find my keys but no luck. It had to happen on my one day off this week. The _one_ day I get to sleep like a normal person. I check my phone, squinting into the brightness. Four A.M. I had only gotten to sleep an hour ago. Guess that's what happens when you live a vampiric existence. Your body starts to acclimatize.

This happens a few times a year. Someone probably came home drunk and fell against the fire alarm. The noise gets louder the moment I open the door. It seems to fill every space. I want to cover my ears but instead use my hands to lock the door. I glance to the door next to mine, as I had become accustomed to doing. It was a muscle memory of sorts. I wondered if she heard it. She must. I had been told on more than one occasion that I slept like the dead.

I trudge down the four floors to the lobby and make my way outside. The night air bites at my bare flesh as the warmth from inside dissipates through the open doors. Most people were outside already standing aimlessly, staring up at the sky or down at their phones. I choose a spot by the small red brick wall that ran from the entrance to the street. The alarm was quieter now and I could hear the chirping of the crickets everywhere.

I scan the building for signs of fire but there is nothing. I turn my gaze to my neighbors. Mrs. Katara looked cold. If I had a jacket I would have offered it. She was a nice lady. There were a few faces I didn't really recognize. Some people took the opportunity to have a smoke. Sometimes I wished I smoked. In times like these it would give me something to do; to look smooth and purposeful and not just existing.

I catch Asami standing alone, white cigarette poised against her red lips. Of course she smoked. In the jungle of bodies she stood out. Her skin was so white it seemed to glow in the moonlight. I get drawn to her bare legs. This is the most I have seen of her. I feel like I'm spying. It's wrong but I let my gaze linger over her body. She's wearing a black silk kimono wrapped tightly around her waist. I imagine it feels like water. I follow the curve of her body up, tracing it with my eyes. She draws on the cigarette, letting a cloud of smoke slip past her lips until it vanishes.

Her head moves quickly like she heard a noise. Like I called her name but I didn't. She catches me looking and I look down quickly, trying to pass it off like I was looking around and not just staring at her. I slowly peek back up and she's still looking at me.

She moves towards me and my heart jumps in my chest. "Do you want a smoke?" She offers me one from the almost full pack.

"Ugh… No, thanks." My one chance to look cool and I blow it. _Good one, Korra_.

She just shrugs, taking another draw. "Didn't think I would see you out here," she says to the sky.

I lean back further putting my arms out on the hard brick. "It was my day off."

"Sorry," she apologizes, as if it were her fault.

"Don't worry about it. Are you working today?" It was somewhat sad our conversations seemed to revolve around work. I wanted to know other stuff like what age she was, if she had any siblings. Maybe if she was seeing anybody. But that wasn't normal small talk.

"Yeah, in a few hours."

"It's dedication to work on a Saturday."

"I just moved from the New York Office. There's more work to be done here than they let me believe," she groaned.

"New York?" That made sense – the winter jackets and the still white skin, not yet browned by California sun. "Did you like it there?"

She shrugged again, a sort of non-committal answer. "I don't know. It was nice. I guess." I started to think she was non-committal about everything. Answers, cities… people.

"What exactly do you do?" It dawned on me again that I had no idea.

"I'm a graphic designer."

"Anything I might know?" I wondered.

"I mostly work on international accounts for web design."

It sounded interesting and important but I couldn't imagine what it actually meant. I couldn't imagine if she sat at a computer or a drawing table. I didn't know if all those folders she had were drawings or just paperwork. I didn't want to seem stupid so I decided not to ask anything more.

"So, being a New Yorker you must know your bagels?" I questioned tentatively, to see if she actually ate my breakfast.

She seemed to pause for a moment before grasping what I was talking about. "Ohh… yeah. What's so special about a bagel with bacon and cream cheese?"

I felt hurt; she doubted my specialty. "Know that stuff you thought was bacon?" Fear rushed through her eyes. "It's vegetarian. It's fakon… fake bacon. The place I work is really healthy and so its bacon that's good for you. That's what makes it special. That, and I made it." I grin. Fakon gets them every time.

Asami coughs out a small laugh that distorts the cloud of cigarette smoke, making it into little puffs. She bites at her lip before speaking and I realize I'm staring at her lips again. "Well, I think it was the best bagel I've ever had."

The alarm stopped and people started to flood back inside. I took it slow, walking in stride with Asami. I held the door open as we walked inside. It was a quiet walk back up the steps. We reached our doors, both unlocking at the same time, both lingering in the hallway a little too long.

"Goodnight." I smiled.

"I think you mean good morning."

I closed the door behind me, shaking Asami's voice from my head. She would be the death of me if I let her. She's my neighbor. _I have to see her every day_. I felt myself smile. _I get to see her every day_.

I kick my shoes off at the door, padding softly on the wood flooring back to my room. I kick a few things out of my way, a shirt, a towel, and fall back into bed. Jazz music starts flowing through the open window. She must have hers open too. I put my hand against the wall, feeling the thrum of the music under my fingertips. She's just a wall away.

 **A/N Thanks for reading.**


	6. asami 3

**A/N Big thanks to Beetlebum101 for this chapter. Give a round of applause guys :]**

Asami

I flopped down onto the sofa, knowing full well I would never get back to sleep. If I ever catch the person who set off that fire alarm, I'll wring their neck.

I let my head fall back against the cushion and pinched the bridge of my nose. I thought I would have longer to sleep before I had to worry about work again. Clearly the universe had other ideas. I stood and moved towards my stereo, turning on some relaxing music, consciously making sure it wasn't too loud. I tried to focus on other things but nothing worked so I did what I'd been trying so hard to stop doing. I went to the window and lit up another cigarette. I had been doing so well with trying to quit until about a week ago. That's another check in the column of this-job-was-a-bad-idea.

I looked to my right and saw that Korra's window was open. The slight breeze outside was blowing my smoke in the opposite direction so I was sure it wouldn't bother her. I couldn't help but think back to earlier when we were both standing outside, looking far from our best. She looked ridiculous in long shorts and a tank top that she couldn't possibly have been sleeping in, but that didn't seem to stop me staring at her. I know she was staring at me too – I caught her. Normally that would have bothered me but this time it didn't. I wasn't ready to think about what that might mean.

"Did you like it there?" She asked me, regarding New York. I paused before replying and even when I did, it wasn't much of an answer. I honestly couldn't remember the last time I even had a feeling of contentment somewhere.

A smile pulled at my lips when I remembered the bagel. Korra well and truly got me with that so-called fakon. The way her face lit up when she explained how special it was made me laugh; partly out of relief that she hadn't fed me kitten meat and partly because she just looked so perfect in that moment. I had never taken the time to fully realise it before. I had been too busy trying to keep her at arm's length and trying to be the one in control of all our interactions to notice.

I really wasn't lying when I said it was the best bagel I'd ever had.

I stubbed out my cigarette on the outside wall and flicked it away, taking one last glance towards Korra's still-open window before closing my own.

Turns out I did manage to fall asleep again and was awoken by my phone ringing on the coffee table in front of me. I groaned and reached forward from the sofa. A quick look at the screen suddenly made me feel wide awake. It was my boss, Varrick. _Oh, this can't be good_.

"Varrick, good morning," I greeted, trying to sound as upbeat as possible.

"Asami, would you mind telling me why you have scheduled a meeting with the Chicago office without my knowledge or consent?" He barked out, bypassing all pleasantries. I took a steadying breath.

"It was a last minute decision yesterday afternoon; I just hadn't got around to–"

"A last minute decision?" He interrupted. "You don't make those kinds of decisions, Asami. You're not on the East Coast anymore. _I_ run things here."

Varrick was, without a doubt, the most incompetent person to ever be in charge of _anything_ , never mind a branch of a multinational company. Everyone knew it except for him but since his grandfather created the company, nobody could say a thing to him. I'm pretty sure my job was created because of his ineptness. His personality had been the sole reason for us losing clients and I was spending the majority of my time doing damage control.

"I know that," I said, slowly, feeling my temper bubbling under the surface. "I just thought that–"

"You're not paid to think!" He roared at me, taking me by surprise. "You're paid to do exactly what I tell you, like a good little girl. Is that clear?"

I clenched my jaw and felt my face heat up with fury. "Crystal clear," I replied in a very low voice.

"Oh, and don't bother coming in today. Nothing you have in your diary for today is important enough to justify me paying you the overtime." He hung up without another word but I continued to stand there with the phone to my ear, my jaw clenched. My grip on the phone tightened until it became too much and I screamed out, launching the phone at the opposite wall, watching it shatter into pieces.

My breathing was heavy and there seemed to be a deafening silence all around me. _You're paid to do exactly what I tell you, like a good little girl_. I knew Varrick was an arrogant, misogynistic pig but I didn't realise he was quite that bad. I began pacing around my apartment, tugging at my hair in frustration. Maybe I could get another transfer? I had been lied to about this job from the start. Maybe I could play that up and ask to be moved back to the East Coast. I collapsed onto the sofa and held my head in my hands. _This is such a mess_.

 _Tap, tap, tap_.

I straightened up at the unexpected noise. It took me a moment to realise it was coming from the front door. I'm not sure anybody had ever knocked on my door before. The gentle knocks sounded again.

"Hello?" A quiet, concerned voice sounded. It was Korra. "Asami, are you okay? I heard… noises." I shot to my feet and stood stupidly in the middle of my living room. Of course she heard me. I had yelled, thrown a phone against the wall and then stomped around. _Damn it_.

"Asami?" She said again. My heart started beating wildly in my chest. I didn't know what to do. Maybe if I just ignored her she would go away. "I'm not leaving until I know you're alright."

So much for that idea.

I crept slowly towards my front door and toyed with the idea of just opening it and letting her in. I couldn't do that, though. I just couldn't. I reached out and let my fingertips rest against the wooden barrier, trying to figure out what to do.

"You… You don't have to open the door but just let me know you're alright. Please," Korra said again, her tone almost begging. She sounded different than I had ever heard her before.

"I'm alright," I finally replied, quieter than I intended, my voice not co-operating. There was a long pause and I was beginning to think she hadn't heard me, but then she spoke again.

"Are you sure?" Her voice was just as quiet as mine had been.

"Yeah, I just…" I swallowed hard, feeling my throat tighten. "I just broke a glass and overreacted." Silence fell between us once more.

It stretched on too long. "Korra?" I tentatively asked.

"Okay," was all she said, before I heard the rustle of her clothes and the tell-tale sound of her apartment door opening and closing.

My head fell against my door and I couldn't stop the tears that sprung to my eyes. I let myself slide to the ground and took several deep breaths, trying to calm down.

 _What the hell is wrong with me?_

 **A/N Thanks for reading.**


	7. Korra 4

**A/N – Thanks for following the so far hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am. If you have any funny stories about your neighbors or ideas for chapters let us know in reviews and you might see it in a future chapter.**

Chapter 7 - Korra

I held the garbage at arm's length, pulling the door closed behind me. I pause at Asami's door. I didn't hear her leave for work today. I couldn't sleep after hearing that noise. The grey expanse of the door loomed like a cloud. Come to think of it I had never seen anyone but Asami at that door. No friends… no family. Her words rang in my head. ' _I broke a glass and overreacted_.'

I drew away from the door towards the stairs. I worked in a diner; I had heard a thousand glasses break in a multitude of ways: dropped on tile, thrown against the wall, thrown at a person. I knew what a glass breaking sounded like. It didn't sound like that. I can't make her tell me so what's the point? I couldn't even get her to open the door. I don't know why it bothers me as much as it does.

I enter my apartment again surveying the mess, wondering if I should clean before Mako and Bolin arrive. _Nah_ my thoughts reply. Even if I did clean they wouldn't notice. I settle for tidying the coffee table enough for food and drinks before kicking up my feet on it. I just get the TV onto ESPN when the door rattles and I know its Bolin's beast of a knock.

"Hey, let me in, food's getting cold." Bolin brushes past, dumping the pizza box on the table and his body on the couch.

Mako is slower than his brother, holding up three caffeinated looking beverages. "Hey, I brought coffee since we are all working later." Mako always knew how to bring the party. I smile at the thoughtful gesture.

I sit beside Bolin on the couch as Mako takes the lone armchair. Bolin begins to rub his greasy hands over the shoulder of my lucky jersey.

"Bo!" I slide away.

"I need some of the luck," he whines. "We have to win this game tonight." Bolin gestures to the TV.

My lucky jersey was well known for the fact that I couldn't wash it until they lost a game and I hadn't washed it so far this season. Yeah there were a few wayward mustard stains but that didn't mean I rubbed pizza hands on it.

"Mako could use some luck, too. For his detective exam," Bolin decides.

Mako was the sort of guy that didn't believe in luck. Luck was chaotic and unpredictable – everything Mako was not. "So, is Detective Mako gonna tell on me if we have a beer before work?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"You guys aren't worth the paper work," he sighs.

I take a coffee, sipping it before realizing it's black. "Ugh, there's nothing in this."

Mako sips his own. "That's right, it's cop coffee." He grins, rather pleased with his own ability to drink the black bile.

"Mako was too embarrassed to order anything else," Bolin pipes up, not taking his eyes from the screen.

"Yeah, well… least I'm not too embarrassed to ask out the cute coffee girl that works there."

Bolin turns. "You wouldn't." His face drops.

Mako says nothing but sips his coffee and curves a pointed eyebrow.

"Come on, Bo, he wouldn't do that. Mako be a good detective and find me a beer."

"Find your own beer," he replies. I run to the kitchen and get two cold beers, placing one in front of Bolin. "None for me?" He adds. I knew even if I got him one he wouldn't drink it. Boy was so uptight I think he ironed his shoelaces.

I don't offer a reply as he heads towards the kitchen, "You got any decent food?" He calls.

"You're a detective, find it," Bolin calls as I chuckle. He better get used to this.

We settle into the game for a while, just quietly watching the players make their way round the bases, cheering and booing along with the crowd as if we were there. Bases are loaded and the Batter takes position. If he doesn't mess this up the game is in the bag. I shuffle closer to the TV, matching Bolin at the edge of his seat. I can see the sweat dripping from the guy's forehead as he tightens his hands around the bat. The camera pans out as he swings hitting the ball into the stands.

"Woooo!" Bolin yells, flying to his feet, and Mako punches the air.

"Guys, you have be quiet, I have neighbors." I pull Bolin back down as he gives a sheepish apology.

"It's only 8pm," Mako states.

I know Asami gets up early but I wasn't really sure what time she would be asleep. I was just trying to be a good neighbor.

"Yeah I know. I got to leave for work in an hour."

"Kai was round earlier. He was asking for you."

Kai was one of my favorite kids from the shelter. A bit of a loud mouth and too stubborn to change his ways. He reminded me a lot of myself at that age. "I bet he was just checking if Jinora was working."

"Kai likes Jinora?" Mako questioned.

"For a detective you aren't too perceptive when it comes to relationships," I add and he rolls his eyes. "He always shows up on the weekend when she's working and sits at the counter while she takes orders. It's cute."

The guys don't seem to notice. "Bosses daughter… he's got balls," Bolin adds. "Maybe when Mako passes his exam he can use his new detective skills to find a relationship."

"He would need to find a personality first." I nudge into Bolin as he laughs. No night was complete without Mako getting annoyed about something.

"Well, you guys are assholes," Mako stretches his arms above his head, "and we better get going."

"Yeah," Bolin accepts, while wiping crumbs off his pants onto the floor. "But Kai did say something about going surfing. He really wants us to teach him. I think it's a great idea. I haven't been surfing in ages."

Surfing was something we hadn't done in a while but with my hours it's hard. "I don't want to promise him something I can't deliver. Plus, he doesn't need more excuses to be missing school."

"We'll find time, don't worry," Bolin reassures me. "School's overrated. I hardly went to school and look at me!" Bolin widened his arms gesturing to his frame.

"Yeah, bro, a twenty-four year old waiter," Mako says, a little harsher than necessary but Bolin doesn't seem to pick up on it.

"Uh… twenty-four year old waiter/actor," Bolin adds and Mako ruffles his hair and pushes him towards the door with one hand.

I walk them to the door and they linger in the hall as we say goodbye. As we do, Asami's door also opens. She doesn't seem to notice us until she turns around. Taking her earphones out, she gives a small jump in surprise.

"Hey, Asami." I lean against my doorframe.

It feels different to see her in this light, to talk in front of other people. Not in our cocoon of early morning hours – instead it's the brisk light of day.

"Hi." She gives a small smile.

"So, this is one of the neighbors?" I can see Mako's thoughts tick over and I shoot him a look that says 'don't embarrass me.' He nudges Bolin with his elbow and it takes him a second to grasp. "Oh, so this is why we had to be–" I cut in, talking loudly over Bolin.

"Yeah, sorry, Asami this is Mako and Bolin. Guys, this is my neighbor, Asami." I gesture between the two.

"Hi." Asami speaks politely and they give a nod to say the same.

"Asami, do you like baseball?" Mako asks out of the blue.

Asami hums in response. "Never really watch it."

"That's too bad. I know Korra has an extra ticket for a game coming up soon because neither of us can go."

What? I look to Mako, acting as some sort of wingman. There was no extra ticket. We were all going together, the three of us.

Asami seems to fluster before flashing her trademark smile. Not the one I see sometimes, a different one, glossy and unaffected. "I'm sure you will find someone who likes baseball and wants to go." She flickers a glance to me before retreating towards the stairs. "Nice meeting you." Her tone is unaffected and I begin to wonder if maybe all the interactions we had were this forced.

"See you later," Mako says, heading in the same direction.

"See you at work," Bolin tags on, following his big brother.

I relax against the doorframe. My eyes followed her retreating form. She reminded me of the horizon line. A mysterious phenomenon of something that was there and wasn't there at the same time. Something that seemed further away the closer you got.

 **A/N Thank you for reading**


	8. Asami 4

A **/N Sorry for the wait but its well worth it for some Asami pov goodness.**

Chapter 8 – Asami

"Hey, wait up," I heard a deep voice call out from behind me just as I reached the stairs. I turn my head and see Korra's two friends sidling up to me. I quickly realised I had already forgotten their names.

"Hi again," I said cautiously, not understanding why they were talking to me.

"Don't worry, we don't bite," one of them said, jovially. I really was wracking my brain, trying to remember their names. I didn't think I would have to remember them. To me they were random people I would never see again. I gave them a polite smile and began descending the stairs.

"Ignore Bolin, he's an idiot," the older looking one declared, eliciting a huff. _Bolin, that's right, I remember now._ "I've never seen you around here before, have you just moved in?" He continued.

I was starting to feel uncomfortable but the last thing I needed was to annoy Korra even more than I already had by being rude to her friends. Every time I thought about what happened last night/this morning I got an uneasy feeling in my stomach.

"Well, sort of," I replied, continuing to walk down the stairs, albeit slightly slower than normal. "I moved here from New York a few months ago."

"Ah, an East Coast girl!" Bolin exclaimed. "How 'bout them Red Sox?"

There was a moment of awkward silence and I furrowed my brow. "I… I thought that was Boston?"

Bolin's face noticeably reddened and he was clearly embarrassed. "Well… yeah. I just… I mean, I was…" he stuttered, before sighing in apparent defeat.

"Ignore Bolin, he's an idiot," his friend repeated, giving him a sideways glare that said _what the hell are you doing?_ "No wonder you're single," he murmured under his breath.

"Shut up, Mako!" Bolin whisper-yelled, jabbing his friend in the upper arm. _Mako, that's the other one's name_. Despite the odd situation, I actually found myself letting out a small laugh as I continued down the stairs in front of them. We were nearly and the bottom when Mako appeared beside me again.

"So, how often do you and Korra see each other? I mean, do you guys hang out?"

I stop dead on the last step, making both boys give me a strange look. And with good reason. It was an adverse reaction to a simple, innocent question.

"We… well, we… interact," I reply, flustered. A smile tugs at the side of Mako's mouth.

"You _interact_? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Mako and Bolin are both looking at me now with identical grins on their faces. I have the sudden and paranoid impression that they're having a joke at my expense and I feel my guard going up again. I straighten to my full height.

"Excuse me?" I question in a stern voice, my head tilted to one side. Mako simply stared at me for a moment, like he was trying to decide something. Slowly his expression changed to a much softer smile.

"Never mind," he said, still smiling. "It really was nice to meet you, Asami." He extended his hand and I automatically shook it without saying anything.

Mako and Bolin both moved past me towards the door, leaving me still standing on that last stair. Bolin was already out the door when Mako turned to face me one more time.

"Oh, by the way," he began. "With Korra, a cream cheese bagel goes a long way." With that, he gave me one last smile and backed away until he disappeared through the door and out of sight.

"Don't I know it," I said quietly into the silence of the lobby.

I continued to stand there dumbly until I remembered I was on my way out to the coffee shop. It wasn't that I was craving coffee particularly, I just needed to get out of my apartment. Ever since I had thrown my phone against the wall I had done nothing but pace around my living room, curse myself, and think about Korra. The fact that the first person I saw when I walked outside my front door was Korra is not lost on me.

Walking to the café with the humid evening air around me, I still couldn't escape my neighbour. The look on her face and the tone of her voice when I saw her leaning up against her doorframe told me that she is upset with me. Of course she is. I would be upset with me too. I _am_ upset with me. She reached out to me and I shoved her away like a diseased cat. She's done nothing but reach out to me and I have rewarded her with feigned apathy and fake smiles.

My walking had sped up without me knowing, my fists were clenched in my pockets and I had walked straight past the coffee shop. I stopped in the middle of the street, took a deep breath and ran a hand through my hair.

 _I need to apologise to Korra_.

… _How do I do that?_

xxx

Thirty minutes later I was standing outside Korra's apartment with a paper bag clenched in my hand, and had been for nearly ten minutes. I had got as far as raising my fist two or three times to knock but ultimately my arm fell feebly back to my side each time. I didn't know what to say to her, that was my main problem. Maybe that was a good thing, though. Nine times out of ten, when I thought about situations too much, they didn't end well. And just like that I was overthinking again.

I gave myself a shake and knocked twice on the door before I drove myself crazy. _No turning back now_.

I heard her footsteps come towards me and the door opened just enough for Korra to peek through. When she saw it was me she opened it fully and did little to hide the surprise on her face.

"Asami," Korra said, her upward inflection making it sound more like a question.

"Hi," I said, with what I hoped was a smile. There was a pause that went on a bit too long.

"Hey." Korra's eyes darted up and down the hallway, as if she was looking for a reason for me to be here. Like someone was holding a gun to my head, perhaps.

"Oh, um, here," I said, thrusting the crumpled bag towards her, at a loss as to what else to do. Korra's eyebrows rose in curiosity but took the bag and looked inside. "It's a bagel," I continued, redundantly.

A smile pulled at her lips and she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I can see that. Why…" Korra shook her head slightly. "Why are you giving me a bagel?"

"Because I'm sorry," I said, honestly. It was probably the most honest thing I had ever said to her. She shifted her weight and rested her forearm against the doorjamb.

"You're saying sorry with a bagel?"

I was becoming uncomfortably aware of my hands so I put them in my pockets. "I guess so, yeah." Korra looked at me in a way that made my stomach feel funny. I swallowed.

"What exactly are you saying sorry for?" She finally responded, looking down at the floor, as if she wasn't sure she wanted to talk about it.

"For last night. This morning, whatever. I didn't mean to annoy you or worry you or… whatever." By the time I had finished talking my voice was barely above a whisper. I sighed and glanced up and down the hallway, much like Korra had, looking for some kind of divine intervention. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this," I confessed, my eyes everywhere but on Korra's face.

We were both silent for what felt like hours until Korra broke the deadlock. "Well," she started, her voice sounding oddly throaty. "Weird apology accepted."

 **A/N Thanks for reading.**


	9. Korra 5

Chapter 9 – Korra

I feel my shoulders start to tense together. I had been standing for almost twelve hours straight. My body ached for bed but before the dreaded stairs, I had to check the mail. The mail boxes were lined up on the wall in a polished brass front that made the wall almost look like gold.

With eyes half shut, I opened the small box and picked up the various envelopes. When I slammed it back shut the door next to mine caught my tired eyes. _Sato_ etched in black hung over the box with Asami's number. _Asami Sato_ …it had a nice ring to it. I thought about our last interaction. I never expected her to show up at my door. A feeling of relief washed over me and I realized I was glad she did. I played over my words, wondering if I was too forward.

"Weird apology accepted." Then the silence that followed. "You know… instead of exchanging bagels, we should eat together sometime…." I felt the nerves creep up as I made it sound like a date. "But, thanks again for the bagel. And, I mean, it's not even Sunday."

"Sunday?" She asked, confused.

"I always have a bagel on Sunday… 'cause it's holy." I can't help but laugh at my own bad joke.

Her lips were a tight line. I knew the joke was bad and something in me just had to mess up the moment. She smiled but didn't laugh as I looked at the floor.

"Yeah, sure. Sometime," Asami replied.

Then it ended with a slowly closed door and an awkward goodbye. I had to get ready for work. I shook the thoughts of dates and dinners out of my head. No actual plans had been made and she may have just been telling me what I wanted to hear.

I moved my focus back to taking the stairs two at a time, pulling my frame quickly up with help from the handrail. As I turned the corner, I heard an echoing voice. The stairwell was small, barely big enough for two to walk side by side. Voices had a tendency to travel down quickly. It was odd; it wasn't English or Spanish, which I have become accustomed to hearing over the years. It was quick and low. All the words knitted together into a drawl. It sounded European, like Italian or French. I couldn't make anything out. Then it cleared and I could hear a voice.

"Merci pour votre patience."

The sound was getting closer. I didn't know there was a French person living in this building.

I grabbed at the handrail, pulling myself to the last set of stairs, cursing the day I chose a building with no elevator.

Asami was at the top of the steps, phone attached to her ear. Our eyes clashed for a split second, the cascading light from the window behind her surrounding her in a soft glow. I felt sad we wouldn't get to talk.

"Oui. Au revoir."

Of course she spoke French. I was finding it hard to imagine there was something she couldn't do. I added it to the mental list of things I knew about my mysterious neighbor.

It happened in a split second, just as she took the phone away from her ear to press the end call button. Her heel missed the edge of the stair, sending her flying into me. I braced one hand on the rail as her body fell into mine. I put an arm around her waist. She was so slender it fit almost all the way around. I tugged her into me, keeping her from falling more than she was. I gasped as the air was taken from my lungs. Her hands were squashed between us and the phone noisily fell down the remaining steps, clattering against the concrete landing.

"Wow." The breath came back to me. Asami seemed flustered, pushing herself from my body. She blushed before all the color seemed to drain from her face. I think it was the first time she was maybe embarrassed. "You know, I've had a few girls fall for me before, but never literally."

Her mouth seemed to gape before closing again. "It's three PM in Paris," she stated, before straightening out her jacket with the palms of her hand. She pulled herself together after that, hastily throwing her hair back, dazzling me slightly.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Sorry, I have to go… big meeting today."

She seemed to be apologizing to me a lot lately. She picked up the remnants of her phone, muttering something about 'another one' before hastily leaving. Maybe next time I should get her a croissant.

 **A/N Thanks for reading. Let us know what you think in a review :]**


	10. Asami 5

Asami -

"You were very quiet in there, Asami," Varrick sneered, as we both left the meeting room. "Not hiding any more pointless meetings with other offices from me, I hope?"

I was sorely tempted to reach across and strangle his scrawny neck but restrained myself. I managed a wry smile. "Well, you know what they say," I began, with a pointed look. "It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt."

He narrowed his eyes at me, seemingly unsure how to respond. "I want the minutes on my desk by the end of the day," he commanded, before striding off down the hall. I sighed.

This morning had been torture. I had Paris breathing down my neck over a web design (and price) they were unhappy with, I had to sit through an inter-departmental meeting that consisted of little more than Varrick lecturing us all for nearly three hours, and then there was Korra.

Korra. What was that girl doing to me? Was it impossible for me to go even one day any more without embarrassing myself in front of her? I spent a disproportionate amount of time during my meeting trying not to think about how good it felt to have her strong arm holding me up on those stairs. Holding me close.

"Zhu Li, could you have these typed up for me as soon as possible, please?" I said, handing my scribbled minutes to my assistant, en route to my office.

"Of course, I'll have them done by this afternoon," she dutifully replied. "Do you want me to pick you up something for lunch?"

Any time somebody mentions food, all I can think about are bagels. "No, thank you. I'll just grab some coffee." Zhu Li gave me a strange look. "What?" I frowned.

"Nothing," she said, unconvincingly. "I'll start typing these up."

I continued to stare at my assistant for a moment as she began tapping away on the computer keyboard, before I entered my office and closed the door behind me.

I had a mountain of work to do but I couldn't seem to get my mind focused on any of it. I sat staring blankly at my computer screen while my mind replayed the events of the morning. Several times I stood up and paced around my office in a bid to shake the thoughts away, but to no avail. _Paris, Korra, Varrick, Korra, Paris, Korra, Korra…_

I heaved a sigh of frustration when I caught sight of the remnants of my phone at the corner of my desk. I would have to leave early today and get _another_ new one. I couldn't be without a cell phone. Just as I was debating the amount of money I was willing to spend, my intercom sounded and Zhu Li's voice came through.

"I have those minutes typed up and printed for you, Asami, would you like me to bring them in?" She said, sounding altogether too cheerful. How long had I been daydreaming?

"Yes, please."

My assistant glided through the door with a smile and left the document in front of me. "Oh!" She exclaimed, her eyes focusing on the corner of my desk. "What happened to your phone?" I rolled my eyes.

"I dropped it down the stairs in my apartment building." It wasn't a lie. It wasn't the whole truth either. "I'll be leaving a bit earlier than usual today to get a new one."

"My brother works at the Apple store. If you like, I can go with you and get you a good discount."

I simply stared at Zhu Li, a bit taken aback. She said it so matter-of-fact you would have thought she was talking to her best friend, not her boss. I straightened myself up in the chair.

"Why would you do that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

She simply smiled at me. "Why _wouldn't_ I do that?"

I frowned. What kind of an answer was that? There were a hundred reasons why she wouldn't. "Because I'm your boss."

It was now Zhu Li's turn to frown in confusion. "So?"

"So…" I trailed of, trying to think of a way to articulate all the red flags in my mind. I didn't socialise with work colleagues. Ever. It just didn't happen. Whether they were equals or subordinates made no difference. What's more, nobody I worked with had ever expressed a desire to interact with me outside of the office. "I just…"

"Okay," Zhu Li interrupted gently, moving to sit down on the chair in front of my desk. She folded her hands in her lap and smiled at me again. "If it's easier for you, just think of it as me doing you a favour that I'm not getting paid for."

In a strange way that did make it easier for me. She _was_ my assistant after all. She would simply be assisting me in purchasing a new phone. I leaned forward and rested my elbows against the table. "I suppose I could live with that."

"Wonderful!" She beamed. "What time do you want to leave?"

Xxxx

At 4:15PM, Zhu Li and I were standing in the middle of the Apple store and I felt afraid to touch anything. "Wait here, I'll go get Desna," she said, presumably referring to her brother. "Start looking around."

I hate these kinds of places. I hate any type of store that you can't just go in to, pick something off a shelf, pay for it and leave. There is always some commission driven sales rep in their early twenties wearing too much cologne trying to sell you something you don't want or need. I just hoped Zhu Li came back with her brother before I had to deal with that.

I started to peruse some of the models, looking mainly at price rather than specs. "Good eye," I heard a male voice say from behind me. I turned to see Zhu Li standing beside who I assumed was her brother.

"I'm not paying $800 for a cell phone," I said, looking straight at him.

He burst out laughing and extended his hand. "Why don't we start with introductions? My name is Desna."

"Asami," I replied, shaking his hand, mildly embarrassed at my outburst. "You're Zhu Li's brother?"

"I am indeed. And I have been advised to forego the small talk and get straight down to business. What model did you have before?" Desna asked, switching seamlessly into work mode.

I glanced quickly towards Zhu Li who gave a shrug and an encouraging smile. I found myself smiling gratefully back at her before explaining my situation to Desna.

Less than fifteen minutes later I was standing at the cash register with a new phone and a twenty percent discount. Not bad. Turns out shopping with Zhu Li is pretty painless. Just as I was starting to think this day hadn't been a complete write off, I heard my name being called.

"Asami?" I swung my head round and stared in shock at the familiar man. "I thought that was you."

"Bolin." I stated, sounding bewildered even to myself. I could feel my heartbeat in my ears. "What are you doing here?" What a stupid question.

"Oh, I just like to look at expensive, shiny things I can't afford every so often," he joked, a schoolboy grin on his face.

"I do the same thing at Dolce & Gabbana," Zhu Li said from beside me, her hand suddenly outstretched towards him. "I'm Zhu Li, Asami's assistant."

If Bolin was surprised by her forwardness he didn't show it. "Well, hello Zhu Li, I'm Bolin. Asami and I have a friend in common," he replied, shaking her hand and holding onto it longer than necessary.

 _What is happening?_

"Here's your card back and your receipt, Asami," Desna said from behind me, drawing my attention back to him.

"Oh, yes, thank you very much," I replied, slightly flustered.

"Any problems just come back and ask for me. It was nice to meet you." And with that, Desna left to help another customer and I was left with no distraction from Zhu Li and Bolin.

"How is Korra anyway?" Bolin asked me.

"I… I don't know. You're the one who works with her, surely you'd know better than me," I replied so quickly the words began to merge together.

"Okay," he said simply, with a frown.

"Who's Korra?" Zhu Li piped up, very unhelpfully, sounding like she was trying to suppress a laugh.

"No-one," I snapped automatically, but Zhu Li seemed completely unfazed and just continued to look at me. "She's my neighbour. Sorry, Bolin, we need to get back to the office. It was nice to see you again. Give my best to Mako." With that I gave him a curt nod and strode towards the door, hoping and praying that Zhu Li would follow me. Thankfully she did.

The two of us walked down the street in silence for a few moments before my assistant opened her mouth again. "Have you known Bolin long?"

"No."

"He seems nice."

"Mmm."

Silence.

"Seriously, who is Korra?"

I sighed. _Damnit_.

 **A/N Thanks for reading.**


	11. Korra 6

**A/N – Hope you are all enjoying this story as much as I like writing it.**

Korra -

Kai watched diligently as I kneaded the soft dough under my palm, rolling it into a perfect spiral.

"How do you do that?" He asked with the excitement only a fourteen year old could have. Kai gazed forlorn at his own lump of dough that was looking like a flat croissant. His muscles were uneven and he didn't know how to move with the dough yet.

"It's just practice," I shrugged. Tenzin had shown me the same way and I was a lot older than Kai at the time. By the time he is eighteen he might be better than me when I started. The clock chimed the hour and it was already five. "Let's get Bolin to prove this later; that's finishing time."

"So, I can get paid now?" Kai questioned and I was reminded about his real passion for being here.

"Yes, my young apprentice, but first I need to check your homework."

Kai huffed, turning to get his backpack as I wiped the excess flour on my black pants. Kai handed over his homework in a pile of dog-eared slips. "It's all there. I had to hide some of it from the other boys 'cause if they saw me doing homework they would call me names and take my bed."

My heart broke a little bit but I had to remember that Kai was Kai: a hardened street kid. If I showed him pity he would leave as soon as possible. He was too afraid to let someone love him. "I get it." I sorted through the slips. "Let's sit in a booth and get this in order."

The next forty minutes was filled with me checking over Math and English I could hardly remember doing myself. Kai was street smart; he knew how to survive, how to get along with nothing. Finding a square root, however, was not his strong suit.

"Okay." I held up the last page to the florescent light. "I think it's all good."

Kai sighed. "You're making me into a geek."

I took the money out of my pocket, handing it over the table. "Least a geek gets paid."

I could see a flickering of understanding in his eyes. That just maybe there was something worth working for. Bolin entered at 5:45am like clockwork, stopping to hang up his light jacket before throwing us a smile.

"Hey guys." He came over and ruffled Kai's hair, much to his disapproval.

"What's up?" I asked as he moved into the kitchen.

Bolin paused to tie on his apron. "I have to make a whole double chocolate cake because someone ordered a whole one, on top of everything else that needs to be done." Bolin shook his head, muttering obscenities.

"That's why you are the best." Bolin had a talent with pastry.

Bolin opened a tub on the counter. "I'm starting today with an ice cream. I don't care. You guys want one?" He extended a nod towards us.

"Sure." Kai spoke past me and I nodded.

"I bumped into Asami yesterday at the Apple store with her friend… or was it assistant?" He shrugged.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, really. She seemed pretty... evasive about you."

"Evasive?" I asked, unsure of what Bolin was getting at.

"Yeah, like, I just said we knew each other because of a mutual friend and she seemed… embarrassed."

Bolin piled some vanilla ice cream on top of a cone and handed them over.

"Don't worry, it's probably because of what happened on the stairs."

"What happened on the stairs?" Bolin raised his eyebrows in expectations of juicy gossip.

"She fell and I caught her. Then I made a stupid joke. She probably didn't like it." I broke the less than exciting gossip. I felt a pang of disappointment. In that moment I really thought that maybe there was something there. Not that I would really know if there was.

Bolin nodded in understanding as Kai just watched on. "Right, I better get going," I yawned.

Kai followed me out into the hot morning air. He hung around more than usual and I waited to see what was up.

"Uh… Korra? We missed the game last night because of work. Could we watch the highlights before I have to go to school?" His shot me the puppy dog eyes.

"Aren't you tired?" I almost gasped.

"Nope." He licked his ice cream.

Ah to be fourteen again. "Sure," I accepted. We walked the short distance to my apartment in a quiet air eating our ice cream and watching the night become morning.

"You know what Jinora is studying at the moment and she really likes it?" I stated.

"What?" Kai asked, keeping an uninterested air.

"Romeo and Juliet. I have the book at my place if you want to borrow it?" I gazed down from the corner of my eye trying to see if I had him interested.

"What's it about?"

"It's cool. It's about two rival gangs and there's a girl and a boy from the gangs who fall in love." I try to make it sound as cool and modern as possible.

"Sounds gay," he replies flatly.

I pause biting my lip. "It's really good. There's fights and betrayal and poison."

Kai just shrugged, taking another lick. By the time we made it back the ice cream was finished. I checked the time on my phone quickly, wondering if I would pass Asami today. It was a little later than our usual 6am passing.

Kai jogged ahead, eager to get as much time with the TV as possible. "Hey, wait up," I called, only taunting him into running faster.

My knee twinged on the last step and I hobbled a little around the corner to see Kai standing outside my door staring at Asami. "Hey," I called, rubbing the pain from my leg. I stood up straight, trying to look taller than I am. "Doesn't matter how fast you are if I have the keys."

"Like I need keys," Kai replied, with a cocky smirk.

Asami watched the whole exchange play out before shooting me a questioning look. "Sorry, Asami, this is Kai, my apprentice baker. Kai, this is Asami, my neighbor."

Kai was uninterested and I handed him the keys to let himself inside.

"So… you're a baker?" Asami questioned thoughtfully.

I looked at my flour covered clothes before thinking. "Yeah, that or a drug dealer…" Asami's eyes widened for a split second. "Just kidding… 'cause of all the white powder, you know." God, why was I so bad at talking to pretty girls. "Of course I'm not a drug dealer; I would have a better apartment."

"Korra." Asami broke me from my dazed rant. "I believe you." She stated each word. "He looks a little young to be working."

"He only works two days a week. He's a member of the local homeless youth shelter I volunteer with. Mako and Bolin both lived there when they were young so it's close to my heart. We do what we can. Kai's a good kid, really."

"That's very selfless of you." Asami tilted her head to the side, sliding her dark hair back past her ear. It took me a minute to absorb what she was saying. She seemed so effortlessly perfect.

"It's not really. I see a lot of who I used to be in Kai. Cocky, arrogant… horrible sense of humor."

"I find that hard to believe," Asami huffed, as if anyone's jokes could be worse than mine.

"About the other day on the stairs… I wanted to say sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable with what I said. Sometimes I have to remember that not everyone is interested in all this." I gesture to myself.

"Don't worry about it. I should be thanking you for saving me. I do wish you saved my phone and not me sometimes. It cost me a lot to replace." Asami smiled then cringed at the mention of her phone.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I can pay you back in food and drink. It's my birthday next week and we are having a barbeque on the roof to celebrate."

"On the roof?"

"Yeah, you haven't been up yet? There's a nice view and you can sit and watch the city at night."

Asami paused thinking it over. "I might be working late but I will see."

"Sure, no pressure." I waved my hands. "You are probably late, I'll let you go." I turned towards the door.

"Korra, wait," Asami said, her lips tight. "You have…" She gestured to her cheek.

It took me a moment "Ohh," I exclaimed, somewhat embarrassed. I wiped at my cheek. "Did I get it?"

He mouth scrunched up more, as she shook her head no. I tried again but Asami seemed to reach her wits end with it.

"Here, let me." She stepped forward closing the gap.

Her palm splayed out flat across my cheek and her thumb wiped just under my eyelashes. She pulled her hand away quickly as my cheek still tingled, now feeling cooler without the warmth of her touch.

"Thanks." I spoke lowly under my breath. Afraid I would say too much.

"Don't mention it." She threw in a wink as she sauntered off.

I touched my cheek again, thinking maybe I didn't make her feel uncomfortable.

 **A/N thanks for reading. Show your love in a review:] and remember if you have any funny**

 **neighbor stories let us know and they may get used in a chapter.**


	12. Asami 6

**A/N Hello everyone! Sorry for the delay in updates. We haven't given up it just takes time and life gets in the way. I hope you are all still reading and enjoying the story so far :]**

Asami -

" _How long have you known her?"_

" _How old is she?"_

" _What does she do for a living?"_

I swirled the red wine around in the glass I was holding, my feet up on the coffee table. Zhu Li had been incessant with questions about Korra for the past two days and it was both exhausting and disheartening. How was it possible that I knew so little about Korra? I had no idea how old she was, I didn't know where she was from, and up until yesterday I didn't even know what her job was. How could I be so caught-up with someone and not even know her surname? It wasn't normal. And more importantly, it wasn't _me_.

Leaning forward and leaving the wine glass on the table, I reached for my cigarettes and headed to the window. _I really need to stop smoking_.

As the tendrils of smoke swirled through the ridiculously humid west coast air, my mind wandered back to the previous morning when I caught Korra in the hallway coming home from work. Well, after first seeing what I assumed was some punk kid trying to break into her apartment. But, as fate would have it, that kid turned out to be the catalyst for me finding out Korra's job. A baker. It suits her. I don't know why, but it does. In between her ramblings and quips about being a potential drug dealer, she said something I'm not sure she intended to say out loud: _"God, why am I so bad at talking to pretty girls?"_

That apparent slip-up gave me a tingly feeling in my stomach, which soon morphed into an odd feeling of respect and pride when she told me about the homeless youth shelter she volunteers at. Pity it turned back into a more familiar feeling of apprehension when she invited me to her birthday party on the roof. Chances are I would be working late anyway; I wouldn't have to deal with any of it. Although…

I got all those feelings just from finding out what she did for a living. If I got to know even more about her, what else could I feel?

I stubbed my cigarette out harder than necessary against the outside wall, flicked it away and took a steadying breath. _Stop thinking about this_. _You can't think about any of this_. I needed to sleep; I had work in the morning. And that was just dealing with Zhu Li.

Xxxxx

With Paris seemingly placated – for now – and the fact that Varrick was in Chicago, my day wasn't turning out too badly. The downside of having an easy day was that my mind had nothing to distract itself, and for once Korra was only second on the list.

I had used the company intranet to pull up contact information for my old boss in the New York office and was staring at the screen, feeling conflicted. Words couldn't express how much I hated working in California and the smart thing to do was to put in a transfer request. To anywhere. Anywhere would be better than here; it had to be. That being said, something was stopping me from lifting that phone, sending that email, and I'm pretty sure I knew what that something was. It was absurd for me to be thinking this way. You never compromise your career. Your career won't break your heart; your career won't ruin your life…

My musings were cut short by Zhu Li bursting through the closed door of my office without warning or invitation. I'm not sure she had used the intercom once since the day we went phone shopping.

"Lunch," she declared, placing a container – which looked like it held soup – and a plastic spoon on my desk.

Quickly minimising the webpage, I glanced towards the clock on the wall. "It's two-forty," I replied plainly.

"I know, and you haven't eaten anything today, so…" She gestured to the food she just brought me and after a sigh I popped the lid open and was instantly hit by a delicious smell.

"You're lucky I like chicken noodle."

My assistant grinned and took the seat in front of my desk, crossing her legs. "Quiet day today. Nothing you need me to do?"

"No, everything is under control," I reassured, stirring my soup. "This place is so different without Varrick around," I added. Zhu Li nodded emphatically.

"I know. He makes everyone's blood pressure rise just by being in the same room as them."

"Tell me about it," I murmured. I must have looked morose as I continued to tease my soup because she paused for a moment before nudging my knee under the desk.

"Hey, that man reduced me to tears on more than one occasion when I first started here. I know it's not the same thing, and you're a lot more important here than I am, but I know how you feel. And I know you're more than a match for him."

I looked up and met Zhu Li's eyes. Maybe she did know how I felt, to some extent at least.

"You're important," I heard myself say, without really meaning to.

"Because I get you twenty percent discount at the Apple store, right?" She said, brightly. Despite the situation I laughed, knowing it was more than that.

We sat in silence for a few moments and I began to actually eat the soup in front of me. It wasn't until I swallowed the first mouthful that I realised how hungry I was. _When was the last time I ate?_

"I should get back to work," Zhu Li said eventually and I nodded, before suddenly remembering something.

"Oh, can you pull up my schedule for this Friday?"

"Sure." With that, Zhu Li disappeared, only to return a few seconds later with her tablet. "Other than a video call to Paris first thing and a routine meeting with the designers at two o'clock, you have nothing else for Friday."

I stared at her. "Really?" She simply nodded at me. "I thought I had a full schedule on Friday," I mumbled to myself. _Or maybe I just wished I did_.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, starting to sound slightly afraid that she had forgotten to put something important in my diary.

"No, no," I began, shaking my head. "I just…" I trailed off and exhaled, sagging slightly in my seat, my soup forgotten.

"What is it?" Zhu Li asked, sounding concerned and retaking her seat in front of me. I frowned and debated whether or not to involve my assistant in my life any more than she already was.

"I've been invited to a birthday party," I finally managed to grind out, as if confessing to a murder.

"Oh!" She exclaimed, probably in relief. "Well, that's a good thing. Whose birthday is it?" I involuntarily made a face. "Ah, it's Korra's birthday." Zhu Li's face morphed into a knowing smirk and I glowered at her.

"What are you smirking at?" I demanded.

"You were hoping you were working late so you wouldn't have to go to the party, am I right?" She challenged, completely ignoring my question.

"No," I replied, petulantly.

Her eyebrow quirked and in that moment I hated her, just a tiny bit. "You're going to that party," she stated.

"Oh, am I, indeed?" I questioned, as if challenging a parent. Zhu Li was certainly not one to beat about the bush but this was forward, even for her.

"Yes, you are," she said firmly, folding her arms across her chest. "And I'm going with you."

"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table.

"I'm going with you," she reiterated. "Otherwise you won't go. And you need to go to that party."

I leaned back in my chair and stared at my assistant. This conversation had become very personal very quickly and if it were anyone else I would have thrown them out of my office and that would be the end of it. Zhu Li was different, though. She didn't interact with me the same way everyone else did. She seemed to know what I was thinking, even when I wasn't sure I was thinking it. "Why do you care if I go to my neighbour's birthday party?"

"Korra's a lot more than your neighbour," she replied, sounding oddly severe. "I've never even met the girl and I know that."

"How?" I questioned, barely above a whisper, getting caught up in the moment.

Zhu Li just smiled at me and leaned forward. "Am I wrong?"

I couldn't keep eye contact for fear of what she would see. My gaze instead fell to my finger nails, which I became fascinated with. She wasn't wrong, but I wasn't going to admit that out loud.

"You need to get her a present," she continued, clearly not expecting me to respond.

"A present…" I muttered, my eyes widening. Of course I needed to get her something. It was her birthday. People give presents on birthdays. My heartrate increased ever so slightly. "Right."

I had received very few gifts in my life, birthday or otherwise. My only experience of having my own party was when I was eleven years old and my mother insisted on throwing an inappropriately lavish event, which none of my classmates came to. Since then, parties of any kind were always very low down on my priority list.

"What does she like?" Zhu Li asked, knowing damn well I had no idea what she liked beyond what I had already told her. "And don't say baseball and bagels."

I huffed and straightened my back, flicking my hair behind my shoulder. "Well, she _does_ like those things."

"Just think about it," she implored. "And if you see her again in the next day or two, try to strike up a conversation about something you haven't talked about before. You might get some inspiration."

Zhu Li said that like it was the easiest thing in the world; like I had suddenly turned into a social butterfly. I was beginning to wish I hadn't told her anything about the party and I'm sure my face reflected that.

"Just try." She reached across the desk and grabbed my hand briefly before getting up and leaving my office, closing the door behind her.

I exhaled audibly and ran both hands through my hair.

 _What does Korra like?_

 **A/N thanks for reading…next chapter might be the party? What could possibly happen? Let us know your thoughts in a review.**


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